Rare intestine operation done in Lucknow

Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences added another first to its credit.

Professor Archana Gupta and Professor Shiv Kumar treated a case of Intussusception (sliding of one part of the intestine into another) in an eleven-month-old baby without surgery just by using the technique of hydrostatic Reduction of Intussusception.

This is for the first time Intussusception has been treated without surgery in whole of north India claimed professor Shivkumar and Archana Gupta.

Intussusception is a common abdominal emergency in infants and children.

"In this case around 5 cm of small intestine entered colon (large intestine) through illeo-caecal valve, this was threatening to cause decreased flow of blood leading to necrosis, swelling, pain and irritation in child's stomach," said Professor Archana Gupta.

She added, " A reasonable part of the small intestine was pulled inwards large intestive. Resulting in blockage of the passage of food through the intestine. It was affecting blood supply in the segment. Only major open surgery was the answer to this trouble. But we decided to try a new technique by pushing saline through Anus into large intestine to get small intestine into normal position."

Professor ShivKumar said, " A lot of debate exists regarding the best method for diagnosis and treatment. In our set up, most children with intussusception come to us late. But this child was nephew of a pediatric surgeon who diagnosed the condition soon and came to us for an opinion and we decide to treat the baby without surgery through hydrostatic reduction of intussusception technique as it was feasible in the case."

He said, " However recently, alternative methods using air oxygen and ionic water soluble iodinated contrast media have also been a success."

"What we done was insertion of saline with pressure through the tubes at colon and with in 45 minutes the extended part of small intestine was out of illeocaecal valve and small intestine was back in normal position," said Shivkumar.

The total expenses in this whole process was just Rs 500 if the patient would have been exposed to open surgery then the cost would have been over Rs 60,000 besides that the patient would have stayed for more than ten days in the hospital. Now a 11-month-old baby would be going back within 48 hours of successful treatment said Kumar.